Published29. January 2024, 00:17
Football: DRC defeats Egypt on penalties
The Congolese reach the quarter-finals of the African Cup of Nations after their victory against the Egyptians on Sunday evening.
Young Boys player Meschack Elia scored the Congolese goal.
AFP
The DR Congo qualified on Sunday for the quarter-finals of the CAN by eliminating Egypt (1-1, 8 tab to 7) after penalties which saw goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi supplant the Egyptian specialist Gabaski in the role of the hero.
It is thanks to the goalkeeper from Rodez (2nd French division) that the Democratic Republic of Congo will challenge Guinea on February 3: he managed the last shot just after his counterpart sent his over the bar.
In San-Pédro, the Gabaski magic stopped working: Mohamed Abou Gabal, the goalkeeper who replaced Mohamed El-Shenawy, who was withdrawn, as at the previous CAN, had shone two years ago in the exercise.
Against Ivory Coast (0-0, 5-4 in the tabs) in the round of 16 and Cameroon in the semi-finals (0-0, 3-1 in the tabs), he had magnetized the opposing shooters. He only lost in the final against Senegal (0-0, 4-2 on the tabs).
Before Gabaski, Mostafa Mohamed, the top scorer for the “Pharaohs” in the tournament with 4 goals, one per match, and who therefore also scored one on Sunday evening, had sent his shot on goal wide.
On the Congolese side, Arthur Masuaku also shot well above.
This suspenseful final ended an average match, between two teams who had already qualified for this second round with three draws.
The DRC arrives in the quarter-finals without having yet won a match in 90 or 120 minutes.
Egypt conceded a goal by being trapped by a touch played quickly by Arthur Musuaku for Yoane Wissa, whose center found the diving header of Young Boys player Meschack Elia (37).
The Pharaohs railed, because the touch seemed for them, but this does not fall within the jurisdiction of the VAR.
They quickly equalized from the penalty spot after Dylan Batubinsiska elbowed Mohamed Hegazy in the face. Mostafa Mohamed transformed it (45+1).
The match could have changed after the exclusion of Mohamed Hamdy, for a foul on Simon Banza (97). Entering at the break in place of Hamed Fatouh, he had already taken a yellow (66) for a tackle on Théo Bongonda.
The Egyptians, without Mohamed Salah returning to treatment in Liverpool, had two good chances, one stopped by Rodez goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi, in front of Sayed Zizo (60), the other harvested by Mahmoud Hamada, who got his brushes tangled when regaining the ball in an excellent position (85).
The “Leopards”, deprived just before the match of their playmaker Gaël Kakuta due to injury, had more opportunities, but less clear, like this ball which Cédric Bakambu did not manage to straighten on a good center (53).
But it is the men of Frenchman Sébastien Desabre who are in quarters.
(AFP/YDE)